Tea Party Caucus to Relaunch With Event Thursday

Mulvaney filed paperwork to create another Tea Party Caucus but has since learned that the original caucus is sill active. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

After a hiatus that coincided with a tough re-election campaign for Rep. Michele Bachmann, the House Tea Party Caucus is launching anew with a reception Thursday.

About a dozen representatives and several senators are expected to attend the event in the Rayburn House Office Building at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, organizers said. Co-hosting the event is TheTeaParty.net and helping organize it is consulting firm kellenPROJECTS.

Also, a competing tea party caucus founded this Congress by South Carolina Republican Rep. Mick Mulvaney was abandoned when the lawmaker realized Bachmann would be restarting her caucus after all.

“I was unsure if Congresswoman Bachmann was planning to chair a Tea Party Caucus in the 113th Congress, so my office filed paperwork with the House Administration Committee to establish a caucus by that name. I’m happy to have learned Congresswoman Bachmann plans to continue her own caucus, and I look forward to working with her on a range of Tea Party issues,” Mulvaney said in a written statement.

TheTeaParty.net is part of an umbrella of organizations led by Todd Cefaratti that includes the Tea Party News Network and the Tea Party Legal Defense Fund. The group recently hired its own lobbyist, Bob Adams, to push a “limited government” agenda on the Hill.

“What we decided was it wasn’t just enough to throw stones from the outside of the Capitol or outside the Beltway, that we needed to be players within the beltway,” said Niger Innis, the chief strategist of the group. Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth has also signed on as a “national adviser.”

According to an invitation obtained by CQ Roll Call, the reception Thursday will feature a discussion on “how to effectively educate the public on Tea Party ideals and discuss the Tea Party’s legislative activities for the year.”

The caucus, much heralded and well-covered by the press when it was created in 2010 as a congressional conduit for the national movement of the same name, had not announced a public meeting since July, and the group’s Twitter account has been silent since September.

“To say we haven’t been real active is an understatement. We haven’t done anything,” Texas Republican Rep. Joe L. Barton, a member of the group, recently told CQ Roll Call.

“There have been a lot of other things going on,” Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland added. “Let’s face it: [Bachmann] had a tight race, a tough race, so she was probably paying attention to that.”

I think that the elcted officials should help organzie the Tea Party to take to the streets if need be or sit in at the capital. We need to be more proactive now more then ever before. I would be more then happy to come to D.C. and do a sit in or what ever it takes to make our elected officials see that we do mean busniness and we want our country back the way the constitution is written. The Gang of eight must GO, they have no business making deals behind closed doors. This country belongs to the citizens and not the gang of eigh.

Jeff Johnson

When you say that you want the country “back the way the constitution is written,” you’re referring to phrases like, “Promote for the general welfare,” and “A well-regulated militia,” correct?

http://twitter.com/carolerae carolerae

White & Bigoted, yes, we remember the loud mouths! The public wants a jobs bill according to the polls no one covers so the Tea Party should definitely go for more cuts that will make us like Europe; in a Triple Dip Recession! They Want Cuts BUT ARE COWARDS! FUNNY THEY DON’T TAKE CREDIT! THE SEQUESTER IS THE LAST 2011 DEBT CEILING DEAL & THE BIGOTS TELL ME OBAMA DID THOSE! THEY HAVE DONE ZERO! CAN[T CLAIM THEM!! DON’T ASK FOR THEM ANYMORE YOU CHICKENS! I DARE YOU TO GO FOR ANOTHER DOWNGRADE OF THE CREDIT BECAUSE ELECTIONS ARE OVER FOR YOUR LAST VICTIM. YOU WILL PAY BIG TIME FOR IT TEA PARTY SUCKERS!!

jdmurchie

Calareola, Cholera, Carolpiehola, whatever, You sure sound angry. Take your head out of your star and take a breath. Hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it, hold it…you get the idea..just keep on holding it….

http://www.facebook.com/eva.redd.9 Eva Redd

JUST ONE WORD FOR YOU CAROLERAE!!!
“IGNORANT”
YOU GET THAT? OR CAN YOU READ?
YOU DEMOCRATS ARE THE SUCKERS!!
NOW GO AWAY LIKE A GOOD LITTLE LIBTARD!!

Cathy Landolfo

We in the Tea Party call for limited government , fiscal responsibility, and those that hold office to uphold the Constitution. Which one of those do you have a problem with?

http://www.facebook.com/debby.smithcoldiron Debby Smith Coldiron

That is a completely stereotypical comment. Why is it that the Democrats feel that are entitled to say or do anything they want and no one should comment or complain, but if someone on the opposing side says or does anything they are immediately belittled and called names? Is this what you support? Freedom of speach for Democrats only? Why are you against small government? Do you lack the intelligence to have a discussion on any given topic and so resort to the name calling as your only defense? If that is your only defense, if you dont’ have any answers to legitimate questions other than to rattle off the standard, “you are a hater, racist, teabagger” you might want to question your loyalty to king obama.

http://www.facebook.com/JeanHD Jean Gray

You’re hiding behind a child’s picture and accusing others of what YOU are. I think you are some SPECIAL kind of STUPID!

Kaykay

Carolerae, you must start reading and listening and stop name calling, oh, I forgot, that’s what libs do when all else fails – name call!

http://www.facebook.com/rthiebeau Robert Thiebeau

The normal politicians are doing so badly at everything you HAVE to fight for the people. DO something and we will support you.

http://www.facebook.com/tamara.couch.7 Tamara Couch

I think we all agree the American Government needs a major overhaul, and that America is in bad shape and it will be a tough getting things turned around before America falls Financially out of total control.

Government officials should not be getting special insurance and retirement plans that are different from the rest of the American people. Who is making the decisions on this?

1) They should be on the same healthcare plan and retirement plan as the ones they roll out to the American people.
2) Government official’s leaving office including the president should be given a severance package like in all corporations. They should plan for their retirement like any other American that retires from a job.

Isn’t it time we start making some changes?

http://www.facebook.com/lynn.m.trevino Lynn Mckenzie Trevino

about time!!!!thank you !

http://www.facebook.com/lynn.m.trevino Lynn Mckenzie Trevino

I agree with Kozak411, and my entire family of 6 would show up and take off work, unlike those on the left, among whom few would have to…take off work that is.

http://www.facebook.com/thomas.oakley.5 Thomas Oakley

I am glad to see some of the old timers getting back into focus. I feel the party has kind of lost its way. All they know, or so it seems, is sign our petition, call you rep, send a fax, what do you think. These same things are done over and over, time and time again. Yet nothing is being done. Suggestion: first thing is to get rid of the bohemer, and start doing what the house is authorized to do by the Constitution, fund, fund and unfund also. Get with sheriff al, and beck the two of them have more then enough to get rid of the obamasssss. Hope your back to clean up the mess in the house. Good luck.

marylou

The Tea Party never lost its way…our principles, dedication and work have been ongoing…many of those we elected have been turncoats…(.we’ll be more careful). Rubio wants amnesty…make him history! They House voted Boehner as Speaker…the Obama clone… in place. Anyone who votes for raising taxes and the debt, stimulus, amnesty etc etc etc is the enemy.

The TEA PARTY knows who the enemy is and w have been making headway one small step at a time to take our country back.
That’s what has the Liberal Media’s knickers in a twist ;-)

OrdainedPraise

It’s wonderful to have a group influencing our political officials to lead us toward virtue by honoring our Constitution…which keeps the executive branch from overstepping its bounds. Virtuous leaders do not complain about these limits in executive power but honor them. This shows that they truly respect all citizens for the goodness they can bring to society.

Tommy Angell

I wish that someone in the Tea Party would answer my question as to why no one is really pushing to have Obumbo impeached. I have read articles that claim papers have been filed and that’s it. I’am just 1 in a million that has this question. What Nixon and Clinton did pales in comparison to what Obumbo has done. He has given, money, jets, muslim brotherhood members come and go to the White House when they want. Obumbo has pissed on the Constitution as if it is nothing and to him it is nothing because he is not a legal UNITED STATES BORN AMERICAN he is a traitor that should be tried for high crimes against the UNITED STATES. I don’t think the Tea party or any group has done anything but talk and sometimes talk will not make the point. I feel the only way to wake up this great country up is to give our leaders a wake up call. I mean what is it going to take to do that, door to door gun grabbers at our houses. I fought in Vietnam 4 th infantry 1968-69 to try to keep people free. Ha Ha joke was on the men and women that served. While a corrupt government got bigger and richer ( OURS) same dammed thing in the middle east. The only difference is we now have a president that wants to bring war to our home land so he can be a dictator of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA may God help us and remove this son of Satan from leadership in our country.

marylou

A message to those who carry the TEA PARTY message. Listen up!

THE TEA PARTIES are alive, active and thriving, despite the trash talk in the liberal media. You all know that is the truth which is why you are relaunching!

Please stop JUST asking us for money for your campaigns!!
We are not your private bank. Start earning our support.
You need us…. as much as we need you.
Do something!
Time to get rid of Boehner…you all know that!
Repeal/defund Obamacare….you all know that
Prevent AMNESTY. SECURE our borders…you all know that.
Stop ALL earmarks…you all know that.
Support Israel.
Stop the UN gun control measures and their run on our sovereignty.
WE got you where you are and expect you to produce results. Some of you like RUBIO have become turncoats, while others faded into the woodwork!

Cruz, Rand,etc have shown us they are REAL conservatives, defending our Constitution, promoting less government and more responsibility.
We will support you if you do your job and maintain the principles that you espoused when we supported your election

TEA PARTY CAUCUS, in name only, is not what we need..you all dropped the ball…time to pick it up and run with it.

THE TEA PARTY CAUCUS is a step in the right direction …only if they get the information out…talking to one another is a waste of time!

Tackle the RINOS, expose them! Tackle BOEHNER, the OBAMA clone!

TACKLE RUBIO, his lies and his gang of Eight AMNESTY ploy!

Tackle OBAMACARE and the fact that OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS are SECRETLY voting to OPT themselves out of OBAMACARE and leave the rest of us out in the cold! You know that is happening….where is your outrage?

REPEAL, DEFUND OBAMACARE !

SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION…..NO GUN CONTROL…No Amnesty.

http://www.facebook.com/purebredamerican Raul Solis

We need to look at, and undo the last 48 years of our country going progressive liberal socialist. The RINO’s and the progressives are ruining our Free Enterprise System that we built and has served us very well.

http://www.facebook.com/TomStur Thomas Ross

I do not want to be a parrot of Rush but his remarks are right on the money. Government is a corporation with an unlimited payroll. The freedoms they behold is giving free life support to themselves first and foremost and second free support to those voting for their supported lifestyle. Brilliant strategy and a success. A majority of Americans proudly accept the extortion practiced for their advantage. Ninety million unemployed and that,s a success to this progressive lot running their country. Yes its owned by a dependent freeloading government clueless in the greatness of a free market, capitalistic, constitutional rule of law system. Do we realize we are only ten million shy of one third of this country unemployed. Thirty three and one third. of our work force.Please grow bigger government more and extend the freehand of entitlements. Our motto. You earn it we,ll use it. Vote for more redistribution, you,ll like it.

http://twitter.com/serenity9032 Trish Donovan

It’s unfortunate that the passion and activism of the tea
partiers has been stampeded into fear and anger by its corporate backers. You
have been sold a bill of goods by cynical Washington brokers and pundits. The
tea party is now looked on unfavorably by 48% of voters and its candidates will
be trounced in 2014. All that the tea party has accomplished is to push the
left-wing further left and awoken a determination to vote the extremist out of
Congress by left and right. A political party such as the tea party that refuses to allow
dissent, compromise, reason and logic among its own has already signed its death warrant. Unfortunately America will have to endure its death throws in the coming
election cycle.

Jeff Johnson

The simple fact is, the Tea Party was never a grass roots movement, and never will be. The oligarchs that created it did so for one purpose and one purpose only; to lift more corporatist rightwingers into congress in 2010. They did so with grand success, but now that these extremist politicians, most of whom have zero credentials to actually govern, the misled minions of the movement have had to stand back and watch these corporate-backed extremists do literally NOTHING for the good of the nation, but instead, push extremists, Taliban-esque religious laws, which CLEARLY have no place in America, and pro-corporate laws that do nothing but further enrich the oligarchy, at the expense of everyone else.

It’s important now, that the faithful followers of this movement wake up and realize that they’ve been had. The movement was NEVER about them, it was only a tool used to manipulate them. The longer the misled masses of the movement continue to cling to their mythical fantasy that it was THEY who created the movement, the longer the malignancy within the GOP will fester and grow, and, subsequently, the weaker and less relevant the GOP will become.

Ironically, perhaps, the very movement that helped to create strong electoral successes for the party in 2010, could very well become the exact same movement that literally destroys the GOP for a generation or more. The more the extremists in the party move the party further and further over the extremist cliff, the fewer TRUE conservatives want to be aligned with the party, and the more alienated they make themselves from the vast majority of Americans.

At a time when the GOP HAS to find a way to reach out to those whom they’ve shoved aside, if they hope to have ANY chance at national electoral success ANYTIME in the future, the more the extremists in the tea(r) party movement shove them off the cliff.

As a devout liberal, I have to admit that I take great pleasure in seeing this civil war within the GOP, BUT, as an American, I am deeply aware of how critically important it is, especially in times of great national concerns, such as now, to have two strong, viable, functioning political parties, and the sad fact is, the tea party has rendered the GOP a flailing, collapsing entity, unable to govern or even offer fragments of rational, workable solutions to the nation’s problems.

We should ALL be praying for a quick demise for the tea party, frankly. They represent no more than 20% of the entire electorate, yet they have complete and total control over the entire republican party, or what remains of it at least. These are dangerous and troubling times that we live in, and the last thing we need right now is a party completely controlled by the most extremist, fringe elements of wackadoodles in the country.

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